Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Bad Girl Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 29, 2016

1931’s “Bad Girl” is all about wit and speed, approaching the battle of the sexes with an acidic take on relationship woes. An adaptation of a Brian Marlow play, the feature preserves all theatrical interests, but, cinematically, it trusts in the power of timing and performance, delivering an electric jolt of a picture that largely does away with precious displays of romance, and there’s certainly no meet cute in this biting domestic drama.

“Bad Girl” follows the ways of Dorothy (Sally Eilers), a model who, joined by pal Edna (Minna Gombell), loves to crack wise and roast the ways of modern romance. When she meets Eddie (James Dunn) at Coney Island, Dorothy prepares for battle, and while the two instantly challenge each other, they also bond over shared cynicism, which soon evolves into marriage. But domestic bliss isn’t the cards for the duo, who work on dreams, family planning, and horrendous acts of miscommunication that threaten their life together.

Director Frank Borzage (“A Farewell to Arms”) has a quite a tonal challenge with this plot, which deals heavily is misogyny and misandry, working to keep hateful characters approachable as they embark on a long, slow journey of personal awakening. Helping the cause is a sharp screenplay with finger-snap timing and an insatiable appetite for combative behavior, adding touches of comedy to the effort, which helps with pacing. Performances juggle tongue-twisting lines with ease, but Eilers and Dunn manage to keep their characters vulnerable as well, making sure that humanity isn’t completely buried by loquaciousness.

Bad Girl Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

There's plenty of wear and tear on display in the AVC encoded image (1.20:1 aspect ratio) presentation. While this is to be expected from a 1931 film, points of damage are numerous, showcasing scratches, debris, judder, warping, and missing frames. "Bad Girls" hasn't received an exhaustive restoration, but it does have moments of clarity, with detail passable when free of cinematographic limitations and source conditions. Close-ups are generally expressive, picking up on facial nuances and make-up textures. Sets also come through appealingly at times. Blacks aren't pure, but they're adequate, preserving delineation.

Bad Girl Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix also wrestles with age. Again, expectations for hiss and pops are in place, but "Bad Girls" experiences a few audio drop-outs along the way, perhaps due to print damage. The rest of the track is acceptable for an older picture, emerging with sharp highs on dialogue exchanges, though intelligibility remains. Scoring is also on the shrill side, but mood is retained, helping the effort with dramatic speeds.

Bad Girl Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Kent Jones.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

Bad Girl Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Bad Girl" slips into melodrama to connect the dots, trying to wear down the characters to help sweeten the expected finale. The story becomes periodically ludicrous to manufacture strife (all conflicts in the picture could be solved with basic communication), but the movie doesn't completely stumble, always remaining spirited enough to cover conventional road blocks to happiness.